EVERY
STUDENT
COUNTS
THE STATE WE’RE IN
2016–2017
A REPORT ON PUBLIC EDUCATION IN ILLINOIS
IN TR ODU CT IO N
N OV E M B E R 2 016
FELLOW ILLINOISANS,
It has been eight years since Advance Illinois began its work to support a healthy state public education system
—an education system with clear goals, high standards, sufficient resources and excellent educators. While
Advance Illinois has accomplished much, we still have more to do to ensure all students receive the high-quality
education they deserve—and our futures demand.
It’s not an overstatement to say that the economic success of our state, and our citizens, hinges on our progress
toward this educational vision. Our next generation of employees, our next generation of entrepreneurs,
engineers and innovators, our next generation of Illinois’ leaders, is entering kindergarten today. The schools
that greet them must be competitive with cutting-edge education available overseas and elsewhere in the
United States.
With this report, we take a clear-eyed look at the state of public education in Illinois today and offer educational
milestones on the road to 2025. For the first time, The State We’re In includes interim targets to meet marketplace demands and achieve the state’s goal of 60% of Illinoisans with a postsecondary degree or credential by
the year 2025. Some may believe these are too aspirational or even unrealistic. But we believe reaching these
goals will help to achieve the ideal outcome: a robust, student-centered public education system that improves
the current well-being and future livelihood of our children.
As we approach our 10th anniversary, Advance Illinois intends to build on its past legislative successes and
continue to advocate in Springfield for equity-driven and data-centered policies that benefit all students, particularly
low-income students who need the most support.
Fundamentally, Illinois must invest in its chronically underfunded school districts and raise our ranking—now
worst in the nation—for state funding of education. The state should begin by addressing inequitable school
funding and close gaps between high-income and low-income districts. Our elementary test scores show some
of the largest income-based disparities in the nation. The terrible spread of concentrated poverty throughout
Illinois exacerbates this inequity.
IS THE
STATE’S
EDUCATION
SYSTEM ON
TRACK?
At the same time, transformational initiatives already under way can help guide the state toward its goal of 60%
of adults with a postsecondary education by 2025. We know we can’t develop these initiatives alone, but we can
set reasonable yet ambitious interim targets and partner with business, communities, educators and policymakers
to build the local education infrastructure, as the state provides the framework and supports for success.
We look forward to working with partners across the state to imagine solutions and galvanize transformative
action. Our future depends on it.
Sincerely,
J O H N A . E DWA RDSON
GI NGER OSTRO
Chair, Advance Illinois
Executive Director, Advance Illinois
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
1
I NT R O D UC TIO N
IN TR ODU CT IO N
KEY ACADEMIC MILESTONES
WHERE ILLINOIS STANDS TODAY
ON THE STEPS TO 60 BY 25
ILLINOIS MUST MEET KEY ACADEMIC
MILESTONES TO BE “ON TRACK”
Illinois has set an ambitious target: 60% of working adults will hold a college degree or credential by 2025, as
research suggests that at least 60% of jobs will require some type of educational credential past high school.
Today, only 50% of the state’s working adults hold college credentials. How can we get to where we need to be?
50%
ADULTS WITH
POSTSECONDARY
DEGREES/CREDENTIALS
28%
POSTSECONDARY
COMPLETION
64
%
POSTSECONDARY
ENROLLMENT
38
%
COLLEGE READINESS
32
%
8 TH GRADE MATH
35
%
The State We’re In 2016-2017 takes a snapshot of our state’s education systems—early education, K-12 and higher
education—with a focus on progress toward the 60 by 25 goal. Reaching the 60 by 25 goal will require expanding
current strategies, identifying new strategies and holding ourselves accountable for results on the milestones to
college and career success. The State We’re In also highlights promising practices that could be replicated, or
scaled up, to accelerate the state’s progress toward 60 by 25. With a combination of state action and local effort,
we can achieve this goal. The metrics and projections we offer help Illinois more clearly envision a day when
every child has a fair shot at completing a degree or credential that leads to a productive career.
WHAT ARE THESE “KEY ACADEMIC
MILESTONES” AND WHY DO THEY MATTER?
KINDERGARTEN READINESS
COLLEGE READINESS
Many but not all children come to kindergarten ready to learn.
Yet we don’t know how we’re doing because the state is still developing the data tools. However, research has long shown the
benefit of high-quality pre-kindergarten programs for later academic success,1 especially for low-income students. Measuring
access to pre-kindergarten programs shows how we are doing
in setting children on track for kindergarten readiness.
The ACT is frequently used as one measure of whether
students are ready for college. Today, only 38% of Illinois high
school graduates met college-ready standards on the ACT;
in Minnesota, which leads the nation, 54% of graduates met
college-ready standards.
4 TH GRADE READING
At 4th grade, students must be able to move from “learning to
read” to “reading to learn” other subject areas. Today, when we
look at the National Assessment of Educational Progress (the socalled “Nation’s Report Card”) only 35% of 4th graders are reading
at proficiency. Illinois ranks 30th nationally, while 50% of 4th
graders are reading proficient in the best state (Massachusetts).
8 TH GRADE MATH
As early as 8th grade, math scores correlate with ACT scores
three years later. To ensure students are ready for college, the
number of 8th grade students who are proficient in math must
grow from the 32% that it is today. Illinois ranks 29th in 8th
grade math proficiency, while Massachusetts leads the nation
with a rate of 51%.
POSTSECONDARY ENROLLMENT
To state the obvious, students must enroll and persist in a postsecondary program if they are to complete one. We estimate
that today only 64% of 9th graders complete high school and
enroll directly in a postsecondary program.2
POSTSECONDARY COMPLETION
A gulf exists between postsecondary enrollment and postsecondary completion. While 64% of 9th graders enroll, only 28%
of them will complete their program within six years at any
school—even accounting for those who transfer to a different
school to finish.2
60 BY 25
Today, half of Illinois adults hold a postsecondary degree or
credential. Reaching 60% by 2025 will require movement at
every step, beginning with preparing children for kindergarten.
4 TH GRADE READING
NO DATA
KINDERGARTEN
READINESS
2
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
We track a larger data set, including many metrics focused on the conditions of teaching and learning across the
state, that helps tell if we are on track for these key milestones. We invite you to explore them through our new
interactive website, at advanceillinois.org/2025.
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
3
I NT R O D UC TIO N
IN TR ODU CT IO N
HOW MUCH DOES ILLINOIS NEED
TO IMPROVE TO REACH 60 BY 25?
ACHIEVING
60 BY 25
The short answer is that we need to make more progress in the next 10 years than we have in the past 10 years.
That means we will need to do better at each of the key academic milestones. We looked at what it will take and
set interim targets to show where Illinois needs to be in 2020 and in 2025.3 In each and every milestone we have
to improve by three to as much as seven percentage points to be on track for 2025. That means thousands more
children need to be reading at grade level by 4th grade, performing math at an 8th grade level, showing college
readiness and enrolling in and completing a postsecondary program. And it means thousands more of our at-risk
students will need resources and support to ensure they are on-track. Simply put, if we don’t do what it takes to
accelerate our progress, we will fall short of meeting the state’s 60 by 25 goal and leave many students behind.
Throughout this report we show you what it will take to accelerate our progress and meet the challenges that
Illinois faces.
70%
67% +3%
64% +3%
60%
+5%
55%
+5%
50%
47%
45%
44
+5%
%
+5%
42%
+5%
40%
39%
+5%
38%
+4%
+7%
35%
34%
32%
31% +3%
28
%
+3%
NO DATA
2015
2020
2025
KINDERGARTEN
READINESS
4
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
2015
2020
2025
4 TH GRADE
READING
2015
2020
2025
8 TH GRADE
MATH
2015
2020
2025
COLLEGE
READINESS
2015
2020
2025
POSTSECONDARY
ENROLLMENT
2015
2020
2025
2015
2020
2025
POSTSECONDARY
ADULTS WITH
COMPLETION
POSTSECONDARY
DEGREES/CREDENTIALS
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
5
I NT R O D UC TIO N
LANDS CAPE
THE CHALLENGES ARE EVEN GREATER
FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS
Low-income students are often behind their wealthier peers when they begin kindergarten and too often
remain behind throughout their academic careers. We must do more at every step to change this pattern.
WEALTHIER STUDENTS
LOW-INCOME STUDENTS
50%
ADULTS WITH POSTSECONDARY
DEGREES/CREDENTIALS
32%
77%
POSTSECONDARY
COMPLETION
POSTSECONDARY
ENROLLMENT
23%
51%
59%
COLLEGE READINESS
20%
47%
8TH GRADE MATH
18%
55%
4TH GRADE READING
20%
KIDS’
NEEDS
INCREASE
ACROSS
THE STATE
NO DATA
KINDERGARTEN
READINESS
6
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
NO DATA
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
7
LANDSCAPE
LANDS CAPE
MORE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
SERVE LOW-INCOME STUDENTS
MORE SCHOOL DISTRICTS SERVE
STUDENTS LEARNING ENGLISH
In recent years, far greater numbers of Illinois school districts are teaching students who are living in poverty.
In 43% of school districts in 2015, more than half of the students are coming from low-income homes, up from
13% in 2005. Research shows that it costs more to educate low-income students, many of whom start school
academically behind their more affluent peers.4 These students may need, for example, help to build vocabulary
and background knowledge, extra learning time, or links to other services, such as healthcare, to meet the full
range of their needs.5
2005
0–20%
20–40%
2015
2005
2010
2015
0%
0–5%
40–60%
5–10%
60–80%
10–15%
80–100%
15+%
NO DATA
NO DATA
Source: Illinois School Report Card
8
2010
Students learning English are now over 10% of the total Illinois public school population and live all over
the state. Schools that never served English learners in the past are now realizing they must adjust to meet
changing needs, as students learn English and a full array of traditional subjects.
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
Source: Illinois School Report Card
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
9
L AN DS CA P E
K IN D E R G A RT E N R EADINESS
UNFAIR K-12 FUNDING SHORTCHANGES
THE STATE’S NEEDIEST STUDENTS
More than half of Illinois state education dollars go
to districts regardless of their wealth, shortchanging
poor districts that have students with greater needs.
For every dollar Illinois spends on a non-low-income
student, the state spends only 81 cents on a lowincome student. The existing funding system fails
to provide adequate funding to address the social,
emotional and physical needs of low-income students,
English learners and students with special needs.
Because of inequitable funding, students in lowincome and majority African American and Latino
districts are too often faced with larger class sizes,
fewer special classes like art and music, outdated
textbooks and increased student activity fees, when
they need the opposite.
After a nearly year-long budget impasse, the General
Assembly passed a stopgap budget in late June 2016
that ensured that schools would open on time in
Fall 2016. However, structural reform is still needed.
At the time of this writing, the Governor’s School
Funding Reform Commission is in discussions to fix
the structural issues of Illinois’ notoriously inequitable
state education funding formula. This longstanding
inequity demands change when the General Assembly
returns in Spring 2017.
FOR EVERY $1 SPENT ON A NON-LOW-INCOME STUDENT,
OHIO SPENDS $1.22 ON A LOW-INCOME STUDENT.
ILLINOIS SPENDS $0.81.
Source: The Education Trust
MN SD DE TN
IN
KY CA MA LA
NJ GA OK UT WI OR WV MS WA CT AR FL NM ND VT
SC
KS CO VA AZ AL NH NE ME WY RI
ID MO MT
IA
NC
MI MD TX
$
10
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
PA NY
ILLINOIS
1.22
OHIO
$
NOT
ENOUGH
KIDS HAVE
ACCESS
TO PRE-K
0.81
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
11
K I ND E RGA RTE N R E A D IN ESS
K IN D E R G A RT E N R EADINESS
TOO FEW EARLY CHILDHOOD SEATS
AVAILABLE FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS
CO M M U NI TY SP OTL I G H T
High-quality preschool improves students’ social,
cognitive and developmental readiness for kindergarten,
putting them on track to long-term success in school.6
The benefits are especially critical for low-income
students, who typically hear 30 million fewer words
spoken than their wealthier peers by age 2 and face
an uphill battle to early literacy and math proficiency
throughout their education.7
EAST ST. LOUIS
Improving access to early education programs and
services for children under 5 has been a major priority
in Greater East St. Louis, where 99% of public school
children are considered low-income12 and too few
families were taking advantage of available preschool
programs. In 2015, Greater East St. Louis launched a
regional effort to solve this problem. East Side Aligned
and the Greater East St. Louis Early Learning Partnership & Innovation Zone (ELP) launched Ready, Set,
ENROLL!—an effort to educate families about their
program options and reduce barriers to enrollment.
ELP collaborated with early childhood centers, Head
Start, Preschool for All, Prevention Initiative, and Home
Visiting programs to create a universal application
for early education and prioritize the applications of
families with the highest need. Since its launch in 2015,
Ready, Set, ENROLL! has reached approximately 10%
of Greater East St. Louis children who are 5 and under.13
Visit advanceillinois.org/2025 to read more about
East St. Louis.
Less than a decade ago, Illinois was a national leader in
early education. In 2007 the state launched Preschool
for All and a year later led the nation in preschool
access for 3-year-olds.8 But when the recession
prompted budget cuts, Preschool for All lost ground.
By 2014, state-funded preschool was serving only
about three-quarters of the children it had reached just
five years earlier.9 Disappointingly, today Illinois only
has enough publicly funded preschool spots to serve
about 80% of low-income 3- and 4-year-olds.10 Worse,
preschool providers across the state have reported
unfilled seats, highlighting barriers to participation.
There are too few public preschool seats available in
many areas of the state. For example, DuPage, Kane,
Lake, and Will counties need approximately twice as
many seats to serve low-income 3- and 4-year-olds.
Meanwhile, the Cook County suburbs have almost
8,000 fewer preschool seats than eligible low-income
children, the greatest shortfall in the state. Even as
the state made a significant investment to restore
Preschool for All to 2012 funding levels, continued
support will be needed to increase the number of seats
available across the state to serve every child who
needs one.11
PERCENT OF SEATS
AVAILABLE TO MEET NEED
STATE-FUNDED PRESCHOOL
MEETS ONLY 80% OF NEED
128,597
134,548
UNDER 50%
50–75%
75–100%
LOW-INCOME 3– & 4–YR OLDS
Sources: National Institute for Early Education Research;
American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau
100–125%
125–150%
OVER 150%
PUBLICLY FUNDED PRE-K SEATS
NO DATA
Source: Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map
12
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
105,187
109,458
2006
2014
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
13
4 T H G R ADE R E A D IN G A N D 8 TH GRADE MATH
4 TH G R A D E R E A D IN G A N D 8 TH G R A DE MAT H
LOW-INCOME STUDENTS LAG
BEHIND MORE AFFLUENT PEERS
ACHIEVEMENT
GAPS PERSIST
Over the last decade, the number of Illinois 4th graders
reading at grade level has grown slowly from 31% to
35%. For 8th grade math, the share of students at grade
level has grown from 29% to 32% with a jump to 36% in
2013.14 While it’s unclear what caused 8th grade math to
drop in 2015, the trend is fairly flat.
To achieve the state’s goal by 2025, 4th grade
reading performance must reach 45%, and 8th grade
math performance must reach 44%. That means in
addition to the nearly 53,000 4th graders already
reading proficient, we need an additional 15,000 4th
graders—1,500 more 4th graders every single year—
reading proficiently by 2025. For 8th grade math, on
top of the 49,000 already there, we need an additional
18,000 8th graders—1,800 more 8th graders every
year—proficient in math by 2025.
MODERATE BUT STEADY GROWTH
IN 4TH GRADE READING, BUT
WIDE GAPS BASED ON INCOME
Despite improvements by low-income students,
Illinois continues to face some of the largest incomebased achievement gaps in the nation. Only 20%
of low-income Illinois 4th graders are proficient, 35
percentage points lower than their more-affluent peers.
In 8th grade math, just 18% of low-income students
are proficient, 29 percentage points lower than their
more-affluent peers.15 If we are going to improve the
performance to meet our 2025 goal, we have to focus
on low-income students and close these gaps.
INCOME-BASED GAPS ALSO PERSIST
IN 8TH GRADE MATH PERFORMANCE
55%
52%
52%
ROAD TO 2025
47%
45%
45%
40% +5%
35% +5%
32
%
47%
45%
41%
41%
44%
39% +5%
+7%
49%
40%
42%
WEALTHIER PEERS
31%
32
29
%
32
%
WEALTHIER PEERS
33%
34
%
35%
%
29
%
29
%
31%
ALL STUDENTS
33%
36%
33%
14%
13%
15
%
16%
17%
16%
10
13%
%
LOW-INCOME
2015
2020
2025
4 TH GRADE
READING
2015
2020
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
18%
18%
14%
10%
LOW-INCOME
2025
8 TH GRADE
MATH
2003
14
32%
ALL STUDENTS
20%
16%
47%
45%
S ou rce: National A ss ess m ent of Ed u c ational Prog ress
2015
2003
2015
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
15
4 T H G R ADE R E A D IN G A N D 8 TH GRADE MATH
4 TH G R A D E R E A D IN G A N D 8 TH G R A DE MAT H
ILLINOIS’ PROGRESS
TRAILS MANY STATES
An analysis by the Urban Institute showed that while
Illinois has made some progress in helping students
achieve proficiency in reading and math, other states
are outpacing our gains.16 Their analysis showed that
Illinois ranks 30th nationally in change on the National
Assessment of Educational Progress since 2003.
When looking at 4th and 8th grade scores for math and
reading, the study found that in 2015 Illinois students
were 6.7 months ahead of where they were in 2003, while
students in the top states were more than 10 months
ahead.17 This means, for example, a student entering 4th
grade in 2015 knew material equivalent to a student that
had been in school for seven months in 2003.
ILLINOIS STUDENTS IMPROVED
6.7 MONTHS SINCE 2003
Source: Urban Institute
NEVADA
13.6
MASSACHUSETTS
11.4
HAWAII
11.3
TENNESSEE
11.0
INDIANA
10.5
10.5
RHODE ISLAND
9.3
GEORGIA
9.2
ARIZONA
9.2
MISSISSIPPI
FLORIDA
9.1
PENNSYLVANIA
9.0
8.9
KENTUCKY
8.8
NEW JERSEY
8.7
MARYLAND
8.6
WISCONSIN
UTAH
8.6
NEBRASKA
8.6
ARKANSAS
8.5
8.4
TEXAS
OREGON
8.2
LOUISIANA
8.2
WASHINGTON
8.1
OKLAHOMA
8.0
7.8
CALIFORNIA
7.5
VIRGINIA
7.5
NEW HAMPSHIRE
7.0
ALABAMA
6.9
VERMONT
6.8
MINNESOTA
6.7
ILLINOIS
6.5
OHIO
6.3
MAINE
6.1
NEW MEXICO
MONTHS
CO M M U NI TY SP OTL I G H T
AURORA
The John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School building
itself is a STEM teaching tool. Building mechanicals are
on display to show how HVAC systems work, and a wind
turbine and rooftop garden help students understand
energy and the environment. That’s because the school
is focused on real-world learning. And it’s hands-on,
collaborative approach shows how all students of all
backgrounds can succeed. The 3rd through 8th grade
school, founded in 2014, grew out of a collaboration
among Aurora University, faculty, nonprofit partners,
four school districts and corporations.
The school’s project-based learning environment offers
students classes in a hands-on, laboratory setting
equipped with the latest STEM technology. It also has
another benefit in that it equips teachers from partner
districts with innovative teaching practices. Teachers
rotate through the Partnership School every few years
and take graduate coursework in STEM content and
curriculum during their residency at the school. They
then return to their home districts to serve as teacher
leaders. Every month, representatives from Caterpillar,
Cabot Microelectronics, Exelon, Nicor Gas, Fermilab, and
Brookfield Zoo meet with teachers and administrators
to co-develop curriculum and lesson plans and arrange
field trips to work sites.
The Partnership School’s students are selected randomly
from four participating districts through a lottery. They
must express an interest in math and science to qualify
for the school. On the 2016 state PARCC exam, 71% of
the school’s students met or exceeded expectations
in English Language Arts and 78% did so in math,
compared to the statewide averages of 36% and 32%,18
even though the school has about the state average in
percent of low-income students.
6.0
COLORADO
5.9
WYOMING
5.8
DELAWARE
5.4
NORTH CAROLINA
5.2
IDAHO
IOWA
5.1
OPPORTUNITY
ALASKA
5.0
THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT
4.9
MISSOURI
4.7
WEST VIRGINIA
4.5
KANSAS
4.3
CONNECTICUT
3.8
MONTANA
3.6
SOUTH CAROLINA
3.5
MICHIGAN
3.1
NORTH DAKOTA
2.3
NEW YORK
SOUTH DAKOTA
Visit advanceillinois.org/2025 to read more about the
Dunham STEM Partnership School.
1.8
Through rigorous new learning standards, an updated teacher evaluation system and tightened requirements for
principal preparation, Illinois has many of the building blocks for an effective public education system in place. Now
there is an opportunity to add one more. In 2015, Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to develop
an accountability system, providing data on students’ performance and giving schools, educators and parents the tools
and information they need to help improve instruction and raise achievement for all students. For more building blocks,
visit advanceillinois.org/2025.
2003
16
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
17
G R A D UATE HIG H SC HO O L COLLEGE- AND CAREER-READY
G R A D UAT E H IG H S C H O O L CO LLE G E - A N D C A R E ER -R EADY
GRADUATION RATES INCREASE,
BUT ACT SCORES STAGNANT
TOO FEW
HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS ARE
COLLEGE-READY
The good news is increasing numbers of Illinois students
are graduating high school within five years: currently
88% of high schoolers are graduating versus 84% in
2012.19 The graduation rate has increased for students
of all backgrounds, including low-income students and
students of color.20 Educators, parents and community
members should be commended for coming together
to support students in their efforts to earn a diploma.
87%
However, on a key measure of whether students are
ready for college—the ACT—only 38% of Illinois high
school graduates are scoring as college ready. This
figure has not budged since 2012. The gap means too
many students are graduating high school but are not
college ready.
Higher scores on the ACT correlate with college degrees: students who meet three or more ACT college
readiness benchmarks have a better than 75% chance
of earning a postsecondary degree.21
88%
88%
84%
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE
ROAD TO 2025
38%
47%
42% +5%
+4%
38%
37%
38%
38%
STUDENTS READY IN THREE OR MORE ACT SUBJECTS
2015
2020
2025
COLLEGE
READINESS
2012
18
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
Sources: Illinois School Report Card, ACT
2015
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
19
G R A D UATE HIG H SC HO O L COLLEGE- AND CAREER-READY
POSTS ECO NDARY
COM M UN IT Y SP OT LIGHT
ROCKFORD
A new approach in Rockford is uniting unlikely
stakeholders to solve the complex transition from high
school to college. Alignment Rockford, the backbone
of a public-private initiative, has the school district
in the midst of a dramatic transformation that has
gained national recognition. The nonprofit worked with
Rockford Public Schools to launch a new approach which
emphasizes project-based learning, smaller learning
communities, career planning, and input and expertise
from the business community. Early indications suggest it
has yielded higher attendance rates and less truancy.
All 9th graders attend a citywide Academy Expo to help
determine their high school academy. The expo brings
together 140 careers from participating businesses,
3,000 students and 900 volunteers. “At the expo, you
learn that you don’t have to go to San Francisco to be
part of a tech firm,” said Jack Snedegar, an 11th grader
in the Business, Arts, Modern World Languages and
Information Technology Academy at Guilford.
Visit advanceillinois.org/2025 to read more about
Alignment Rockford.
At the core of the changes in Rockford are college and
career “academies,” formatted as schools within schools
that span business, engineering, human services and
health sciences, and align high school courses with
postsecondary expectations. At Guilford High School’s
Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial and Trades
Technology academy, for example, English, math and
social studies incorporate project-based concepts from
real-world engineering and manufacturing. Students
interested in professional degrees and certificate programs
work side-by-side in classes such as Construction I, held in
the school’s construction and fabrication lab. The school
had done away with a similar industrial arts lab years ago,
only to bring it back as the community recognized that
hands-on learning had value in preparing all students for
life after high school. When students enter Guilford, they
identify a career pathway in 9th grade, enabling them to
develop skills that will be relevant across careers.
MANY
STRUGGLE
TO FINISH
THEIR
DEGREE
ROAD TO 2025
64%
67%
+3%
70%
+3%
28%
OPPORTUNITY
31%
+3%
34%
+3%
ILLINOIS 60 BY 25 NETWORK
Business leaders, schools and community partners working together to improve student outcomes in seven regions of the
state have joined a network to learn from each other and share their successes. The Illinois 60 by 25 Network addresses
the challenge of degree completion, filling a shortage of skilled labor and prioritizing educational backgrounds that are in
demand locally. The network serves as a model for other communities seeking bold changes to their education systems.
For more on inspiring your community, visit advanceillinois.org/2025.
2015
2020
2025
2015
POSTSECONDARY
ENROLLMENT
20
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
2020
2025
POSTSECONDARY
COMPLETION
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
21
P OSTS ECO N DA RY
POSTS ECO NDARY
LOW-INCOME STUDENTS LESS
LIKELY TO COMPLETE DEGREE
SIX-YEAR POSTSECONDARY COMPLETION RATE
FOR STUDENTS WHO ENROLL IN COLLEGE
Sources: National Student Clearinghouse, Illinois Student Assistance Commission
75%
58
Research tells us that going to college is still the
most effective path out of poverty; yet too few
students who start college complete it.22 Just 58% of
college students from Illinois graduate in six years.
Like the pattern in K-12, the gap between low-income
and wealthier students is striking: only 37% of lowincome students graduate in six years while 75% of
wealthier students do.
49
%
%
CO M M U NI TY SP OTL I G H T
C
M HENRY
In McHenry County, the local community college and
the Regional Office of Education have teamed up to
offer math classes in high schools that count for credit
in college and high school. In five years, McHenry
Community College (MCC) has seen enrollment in
remedial math drop from 57% to 21%. MCC reports
that students who have taken these “dual-credit”
courses in high school are more likely to graduate
early and transfer to a four-year institution.25 The
initiative breaks through the silos that exist between
high schools and postsecondary institutions, as
high school and community college personnel meet
regularly to develop curriculum, ensure consistent
expectations and track student progress.
Visit advanceillinois.org/2025 to read more
about McHenry.
OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS TAKE
REMEDIAL COURSEWORK
37
Taking remedial non-credit courses lengthens the
time necessary to graduate, dimming the likelihood
of completion for students who cannot afford either
to pay for additional classes or to forgo other work
opportunities to stay in school.23
%
For many students—especially low-income
students—going to college in Illinois is a heavy
financial lift. But the payoff is clear: adults with
a Bachelor’s degree make 68% more than a high
school graduate, and adults with an Associate’s
degree make 18% more.24
OPPORTUNITY
POSTSECONDARY AND WORKFORCE READINESS ACT
The Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act of 2016 is a transformative step for Illinois students making the transition
from high school to two-year colleges, four-year colleges and certificate programs. The legislation addresses the persistent
issue of remediation for new college students by offering high school students not on track for credit-bearing courses a
transitional math course in high school, that if the student passes, will guarantee entry into appropriate credit-bearing
courses at any community college in the state. For more on transitional math, visit advanceillinois.org/2025.
ALL STUDENTS
22
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
LOW-INCOME
WEALTHIER PEERS
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
23
P OSTS ECO N DA RY
POSTS ECO NDARY
LACK OF FINANCIAL AID, AFFORDABILITY
STIFLE COLLEGE COMPLETION
HALF AS MANY ELIGIBLE STUDENTS ARE OFFERED STATE
MAP GRANTS FOR COLLEGE TODAY COMPARED TO 2001
Like federal Pell grants, state-funded Monetary Award
Program (MAP) grants provide need-based aid that
a student doesn’t have to repay, defraying tuition
and fee costs and limiting excessive loan debt for
students without the resources to pay for college.26
Fifteen years ago in 2001, the state was able to fund
all eligible applicants and fully covered average public
university tuition and fees. But in the last decade,
the number of needy students has grown, and state
funding hasn’t kept up.27
Source: Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Today, MAP can serve only about 50% of the students
who are eligible and covers about only 32% of tuition
and fees at a public university in this state.28
The budget impasse of 2015-2016 worsened the
challenges for MAP-eligible students, as the state
could not pay colleges and universities in a timely
manner and could not guarantee that all grants would
be paid. In the end, all student awards were paid.
However, students impacted by the funding crisis
reported taking fewer classes, seeking additional hours
at work and taking out loans to cover tuition costs.29
100%
50%
2001
24
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
CO M M U NI TY SP OTL I G H T
QUINCY
In the next four years, over 1,000 professional
positions are expected to become available in the
western Illinois community of Quincy.32 However,
local business, education and philanthropic leaders
worry that there will not be enough qualified workers
to fill these positions in agriculture, manufacturing
and health care. These leaders formed Quincy Promise
in 2015 to provide free tuition to John Wood Community
College for local high school graduates who major in
a career or technical program that is in demand with
local employers. Quincy Promise is currently in the
second year of a four-year pilot, and the program’s first
25 students entered John Wood Community College
in August 2016.
Visit advanceillinois.org/2025 to read more about
Quincy Promise.
The state ranks 32nd in college affordability for
median-income families.30 A family at the state
median income of $53,937 has to dedicate 25% of its
income to college costs. It is more challenging for a
low-income family living at the federal poverty level
of $23,550 for a family of four. They will need 48% of
their income to cover college costs. This is even after
financial aid is taken into account.31
2016
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
25
A D ULTS W ITH P OSTSE CONDARY DEGREES/CREDENTI ALS
ONLINE-ONLY FEATURES
WE NEED
TO DO MORE
TO BE READY
FOR 2025
Illinois needs a strong education system to ensure
the economic vitality of the state and our competitiveness nationally and internationally. A strong
education system is a fundamental right: every child
deserves a high-quality education. As poverty has
grown, we are at a critical juncture: the state must
invest in its lowest-income and most vulnerable students to prepare the workforce of 2025 and remain
competitive. As we show in this report, business as
usual will not get us there. We will have to expand
current strategies, adopt new ones, hold ourselves
accountable and partner with communities to reach
our goals for 2025.
Advance Illinois provides this analysis to inform
decision-makers at the state and local level. We
believe there are three vital steps the state must
take now:
MAKE SURE THE NEEDIEST STUDENTS
HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED
VISIT THE STATE WE’RE IN WEBSITE AT
ADVANCEILLINOIS.ORG/2025 FOR:
55+ metrics on Illinois’ performance from early
childhood through postsecondary education related
to student outcomes and the conditions of teaching
and learning.
How Illinois ranks nationally in each of these
measures.
Focus on the opportunity gaps by race and
ethnicity for each of our milestones and metrics.
A closer look at the community models featured in
our report: Aurora, East St. Louis, McHenry, Quincy
and Rockford.
Community-specific dashboards to view information
that could be available to you and your community,
and future opportunities.
Links to the Illinois School Report Card and other
leading education resources.
Interactive downloadable data and maps for
everything you see in this report and more.
ONLINE FEATURE: ILLINOIS’ TEACHERS DO NOT
REFLECT DIVERSITY OF THEIR STUDENTS
Students of color are more likely to progress
academically when taught by teachers of color who
share similar cultural experiences while serving as
role models.33 Learn more about efforts under way
to address this challenge, including what one school
district is doing to grow tomorrow’s teacher workforce.
ADVANCEILLINOIS.ORG/2025
Fix our last-in-the-nation, inequitable K-12
funding formula
FINISH THE BUILDING BLOCKS
FOR OUR K-12 SYSTEM
Foster a fair, clear and supportive system to report
school performance and offer supports to help
schools—and students—succeed
RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE COLLABORATIVE
EFFORTS OF COMMUNITIES, AND ENCOURAGE
OTHERS TO JOIN
Share models that inspire investment in and
expansion of community-driven change
In the next two years, we hope to report real
progress toward the 60 by 25 goal. Let’s come
together to make sure Illinois is on the fast track
to educational success by 2025.
26
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
27
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT ADVANCE ILLINOIS
We would like to acknowledge the guidance of The State We’re In 2016-2017 Advisory Council, a group of education experts
from across Illinois who helped strengthen our analysis and crystallize our findings. We also thank Maureen Kelleher for her
writing support, and Multiple Inc. for its design and data visualization talent.
Motivated by the urgency that Illinois was not preparing its students to compete in a global marketplace, leaders from
more than a dozen civic, philanthropic, business, and education organizations from across the state came together to
found Advance Illinois in 2008 to serve as an independent, objective voice promoting a healthy education system that
prepares all students for success in college and career.
Alex Baptiste led the research and data analysis, and Melanie Cohodes, Alec Collins, Theo Grant-Funck, Stephanie Greene,
Melissa Miller and Elsa Mundt provided research and analysis support.
ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE STATE WE’RE IN 2016-2017
JAM ES A P P LEGAT E
Illinois Board of Higher Education
MARK EI CHENLAUB
Southwestern Illinois College
ERI C LI C H T EN BERG ER
Illinois Board of Higher Education
CA R M E N AYA LA
Berwyn North School
District 98
J ENNI FER FOSTER
Illinois Community
College Board
JEN N Y N AG AO KA
University of Chicago Consortium
on School Research
HA R RY BE R M A N
Former Executive Director, Illinois
Board of Higher Education
KAREN GARI BAYMULATTI ERI
Latino Policy Forum
RO B PA RA L
Rob Paral and Associates
REV. STA RS KY W I LS O N
Deaconess Foundation
A N N A COL A NE R
SGA Youth & Family Services
CO RNELI A GRUMMAN
Robert R. McCormick Foundation
PA I G E PO N D ER
One Million Degrees
J EN N IF E R DA LY
Greater Peoria Economic
Development Council
CHRI STI NA HERZO G
Crown Family Philanthropies
PAU L Z AV I T KOVS KY
Urban Education Leadership
Program, University of Illinois
at Chicago
B R IA N D URHA M
Illinois Community College Board
SUSAN KLEEMANN
Illinois Student
Assistance Commission
ELLI OT REG EN ST EI N
Chair, Illinois Longitudinal Data
System Governing Board, Chair,
Illinois Early Learning Council
Data, Research, and Evaluation
Subcommittee, Ounce of
Prevention Fund
BRA D S K ERT I C H
Southwestern Community
Unit School District 9
H A RV EY S MI T H
Illinois Interactive Report Card
A L E XA NDRA BA P T IST E
Policy Associate
B E N B OE R
Deputy Director
Recruit, develop, and empower the most effective educators
Set world-class expectations and provide essential supports
Empower local innovation in exchange for accountability and results
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
J O H N A . E DWA R DSO N
Chair
Former Chairman
and CEO, CDW LLC
H O N. J I M E D G A R
Chair Emeritus
Former Governor of Illinois
E L L E N A L B E R D I NG
President, The Joyce Foundation
ADVANCE ILLINOIS STAFF
GIN GE R OST R O
Executive Director
Advance Illinois is positioned uniquely in Illinois to provide the continuity required to successfully pass, implement, and
evaluate policy change. Advance Illinois is equity-driven, student-centered and data-focused. We identify, design, advocate
for and help to implement policies that are grounded in nationally recognized best practices and then tailored to the needs
of students in Illinois. Since its founding, Advance Illinois has made progress toward the following priorities for the state’s
education system:
ANGELI CA CHAVEZ
Community Engagement
Organizer
BO B DO LGAN
Communications Director
MELI SSA FI GUEI RA
Policy Associate
GW EN PEEBLES
Government Relations Specialist
JOS E RES EN D I Z
Graphic Designer
K RI ST I N PO LLO C K
Development Director
JESS I CA ROS O LOWS K I
Office Manager /
Executive Assistant
T ERESA RA MOS
Director of Community
Engagement
PA I G E W I LLI A MS
Policy Fellow
J I M O ’CO NNO R
Project Director
H A R RY B E R M A N
Former Executive
Director, Illinois Board
of Higher Education
L E W CO L L E NS
President Emeritus, Illinois
Institute of Technology
R E V. K . E DWA R D CO P E L A ND
Pastor, New Zion Baptist Church
Chair, Alignment Rockford
W I L L I A M M . DA L E Y
Managing Partner and Head
of U.S. Operations, Argentiere
Capital; Former White House
Chief of Staff
J U DY E RW I N
Managing Director, Kivvit
JA M E S C . FRA NC Z E K , J R .
Founding Partner and President,
Franczek Radelet PC
M A R I N G JA JA
Senior Partner and
Managing Director,
Boston Consulting Group
LY NDA PA R K E R
Assistant Principal,
King College Prep
SY LV I A P U E NTE
Executive Director,
Latino Policy Forum
G E NE R E I NE K E
Founder and President,
Hawthorne Strategy
Group, LLC
J UA N SA LG A D O
President and CEO, Instituto
del Progreso Latino
R O B STE WA R T
Area Vice President,
State Farm Insurance
SA RA R . STO E L I NG A
Sara Liston Spurlark Director,
The Urban Education Institute,
University of Chicago
JASO N J. TY L E R
Executive Vice President and
Global Head, The Institutional
Group, Northern Trust
R E B ECCA WATTL E WORTH
Math and Science Teacher,
Warrensburg-Latham
High School
NOTES
1
2
3
28
T he Bridgespan Group, Pritzker Children’s Initiative,
“Achieving Kindergarten Readiness for All Our Children,”
2015 Public school students in the 9th grade cohort tracked by
Advance Illinois
Our educational attainment benchmarks offer key
metrics for policymakers to watch on the path from early
childhood to college completion. To move from 50 percent
to 60 percent of adults postsecondary-credentialed, we
need to move metrics at every level. Depending on the
metric, our methodology for setting those targets varies,
but there are two fundamental strategies involved:
top-down and bottom up. To examine how successfully
our high schoolers are transitioning into and through
higher education, Advance Illinois studied the progress of
a cohort of students who started 9th grade between 2005
and 2010.
We set targets both by working backward from our
overarching goal (“top-down”) and by growing the
numbers of students meeting targets at earlier rungs of
the ladder (“bottom up”). Our top-down strategy works
backward from the 60 by 25 goal to set appropriate
targets for numbers of 9th graders and first-time
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N
college enrollees to complete postsecondary degrees. Our
bottom-up strategy examines the determinants of college
readiness and sets growth targets based on past performance
of benchmark states who have made noteworthy progress in
raising student achievement over the last decade.
4The Education Trust, Funding Gaps, 2015.
5 Ibid
6The Bridgespan Group, Pritzker Children’s Initiative,
“Achieving Kindergarten Readiness for All Our Children,”
2015.
7 Hart, Betty and Risley, Todd; “The Early Catastrophe: The
30 Million Word Gap by Age 3,” American Educator, 2003.
8 Joseph, Larry and Lloyd, David; “The Erosion of Early
Childhood Investments in Illinois,” Voices for Illinois
Children, 2014.
9 Ibid
10 NIEER, “The State of Preschool: 2005-2015,” United States
Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2006-2014.
11The Ounce of Prevention Fund, Testimony at Illinois State
Board of Education FY18 Budget Hearing, Oct. 20, 2016.
12Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Report Card 2016.
13Greater East St. Louis Early Learning Partnership and
Innovation Zone
14 National Center for Education Statistics, National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2013, 2015
15 Ibid
16Chingos, Matthew; “Breaking the Curve: Promises and
Pitfalls in Using NAEP Data to Assess the State Role in
Student Achievement,” Urban Institute, 2015.
17 Ibid
18 Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Report Card 2016.
19 Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Report Card 2016.
20 Ibid
21 Lichtenberger, Eric J. and Dietrich, Cecile; “College
Readiness and the Postsecondary Outcomes of High
School Students,” Illinois Education Research Council, 2012.
22 Students in the 9th grade cohort tracked by Advance
Illinois
23 Complete College America, “Remediation: Higher
Education’s Bridge to Nowhere,” 2012.
24Pew Research Center, “The Rising Cost of Not Going to
College,” 2014.
25Interview with Tony Capalbo, Associate Dean for College
and Career Readiness, McHenry Community College, 2016.
26Illinois Student Assistance Commission, “MAP Matters,”
February 2016.
27Ibid
28Ibid
29 Illinois Student Assistance Commission, “ISAC Survey:
Uncertainty About MAP Could Lead Students to Delay a
Degree or Drop Out,” July 2016.
30 IPEDS, “Average net price (income 48,001-75,000) for
students awarded Title IV federal financial aid,” “Grand
total All students Undergraduate Degree/certificateseeking First-time,” National Center of Education
Statistics, 2009-2014; Census Bureau of Education
Statistics, “Table H-8. Median Household Income by State,”
accessed 2016.
31 Ibid
32Quincy Promise, https://www.jwcc.edu/quincypromise/
33Center for American Progress, “Teacher Diversity Matters:
A State-By-State Analysis of Teachers of Color,” 2011.
TH E STATE W E’ R E I N
29
ADVANCE ILLINOIS
303 East Wacker Drive
Suite 1925
Chicago, IL 60601
312.235.4531
advanceillinois.org
30
T HE STAT E WE ’ R E I N